- Feb 5, 2002
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Christian apologist Ken Ham says clickbait headlines surrounding a 1,600-year-old book purportedly about Jesus’ childhood should not cause alarm among believers. The headlines about the so-called Infancy Gospel of Thomas have generated significant buzz worldwide. The New York Post proclaimed in a headline: “Newly deciphered manuscript is the oldest written record of Jesus’ childhood: ‘Extraordinary,’” while the Times of Israel alleged in its headline that the “1600-year-old papyrus fragment contains the earliest account of Jesus’ childhood.”
In truth, debate about the Infancy Gospel of Thomas is not new, even if the newly discovered fragment may be the oldest surviving copy.
The Infancy Gospel of Thomas was rejected by early Christians as not inspired and was not included in the canon of Scripture. (It is not to be confused with the Gospel of Thomas, another rejected book.)
“How should Christians think about this find? This text is not biblical -- it was written several decades after the canon of Scripture was closed,” said Ham, the CEO and founder of Answers in Genesis, in a new blog on his website. “And don’t be alarmed when you read statements such as ‘[this is from] the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, a book detailing Jesus of Nazareth’s youth that was ultimately excluded from the Bible.’
“The Infancy Gospel of Thomas was never considered to be authentic by Christians, nor did it vie for inclusion in the Bible before being ‘ultimately excluded’ -- Christians knew it wasn’t inspired Scripture!”
Tim Chaffey, the content manager for the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum operated by Answers in Genesis, said the Infancy Gospel of Thomas contains fictional stories about Jesus that conflict with the character of Christ in Scripture.
Continued below.
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In truth, debate about the Infancy Gospel of Thomas is not new, even if the newly discovered fragment may be the oldest surviving copy.
The Infancy Gospel of Thomas was rejected by early Christians as not inspired and was not included in the canon of Scripture. (It is not to be confused with the Gospel of Thomas, another rejected book.)
“How should Christians think about this find? This text is not biblical -- it was written several decades after the canon of Scripture was closed,” said Ham, the CEO and founder of Answers in Genesis, in a new blog on his website. “And don’t be alarmed when you read statements such as ‘[this is from] the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, a book detailing Jesus of Nazareth’s youth that was ultimately excluded from the Bible.’
“The Infancy Gospel of Thomas was never considered to be authentic by Christians, nor did it vie for inclusion in the Bible before being ‘ultimately excluded’ -- Christians knew it wasn’t inspired Scripture!”
Tim Chaffey, the content manager for the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum operated by Answers in Genesis, said the Infancy Gospel of Thomas contains fictional stories about Jesus that conflict with the character of Christ in Scripture.
Continued below.
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